Sunday 19/07/09 Melt! Festival, Day Three @ Stadt aus Eisen, Ferropolis, Germany

Turning left out of the campsite (the arena was right), crossing a car park and then a field led to a minimal tent called ‘Fuc’ that literally felt like it was in the middle of nowhere. The tunes were quality for a DJ playing to 10 people escaping from the rigours of city life. The arena may have brought with it custom fags, custom trainers by the bucket load but getting off your tits in a field in the middle of nowhere is absolutely priceless.

The live band of the moment is Kasabian and they did not disappoint. On the Main Stage at half 9 their current set has become established without being predictable. They had a huge German following at the front that enjoyed their first live experience from the Leicester lads more than they were enjoying the handle on the beer glass. ‘Where Did All The Love Go?’ will be an anthem by next summer – it is almost so now – and in ‘Club Foot’ they still have one of the biggest foot stompers in British rock today. ‘Fast Fuse’ is dedicated to Liam Gallagher – who is to follow on stage – but for now it is all about going ****ing mental!

Oasis play an understandably shorter set than at Wembley the week previous but seem a lot more comfortable with the pressure off. Easily the biggest crowd of the weekend – the British fans (and there are plenty of them) are tanked up and sing every word along side their much more reserved German counterparts. ‘Slide Away’ and ‘What’s The Story’ become an orgy of mates hugging and singing their hearts out, the latter can be played to death and will never sound dated. ‘Half the world Away’ – dedicated to all the Mancs – slows things down again before set closer ‘Live Forever’, this week you actually believe them.

The closing hours of the festival see Tiga storm the ‘Gemini Stage’ with two hours of unrelenting party tunes. He doesn’t give the crowd a moment to breathe in a set including the Freestyler’s ‘Don’t Stop’ and Aphex Twin’s ‘Windowlicker’ – it’s the perfect tonic for Sunday night. The hardcore few move over to the sleepless floor for Watergate resident Daniel Stefanik’s twisted minimal techno. By now everyone is swaying rather than dancing but who better to keep you interested when every muscle is crying out for sleep. A class little festival perhaps damped too much by the rain but then what can you do? Currywursts all round!

Melt! Festival 2009 in photos: